US 11,732,289 B2
Receptacle distribution system
David A. Buse, San Diego, CA (US); Norbert D. Hagen, Carlsbad, CA (US); and David Opalsky, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by Gen-Probe Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/878,580.
Application 17/668,775 is a division of application No. 17/036,730, filed on Sep. 29, 2020, granted, now 11,279,967, issued on Mar. 22, 2022.
Application 17/878,580 is a continuation of application No. 17/668,775, filed on Feb. 10, 2022, granted, now 11,434,521.
Application 17/036,730 is a continuation of application No. 17/033,395, filed on Sep. 25, 2020.
Application 17/033,395 is a continuation of application No. 16/829,230, filed on Mar. 25, 2020, granted, now 10,889,851, issued on Jan. 12, 2021.
Application 16/829,230 is a continuation of application No. 15/675,206, filed on Aug. 11, 2017, granted, now 10,711,297, issued on Jul. 14, 2020.
Application 15/675,206 is a continuation of application No. 14/213,900, filed on Mar. 14, 2014, granted, now 9,732,374, issued on Aug. 15, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/784,994, filed on Mar. 14, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2022/0364155 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B01L 7/00 (2006.01); G01N 35/04 (2006.01); C12Q 1/6806 (2018.01); C12Q 1/686 (2018.01)
CPC C12Q 1/6806 (2013.01) [B01L 3/50825 (2013.01); B01L 3/565 (2013.01); B01L 7/5255 (2013.01); C12Q 1/686 (2013.01); G01N 35/04 (2013.01); B01L 3/527 (2013.01); B01L 2200/026 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0689 (2013.01); B01L 2300/046 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0418 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0436 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A receptacle distribution system for moving receptacles between different locations, the receptacle distribution system comprising:
a rotary distributor comprising:
a turntable;
a rotary drive system configured to effect motorized rotation of the turntable;
an upright wall attached to the turntable and rotatable therewith;
a distributor head for holding a receptacle, the distributor head being supported for vertical motion along the upright wall;
a hook that is extendible and retractable with respect to the distributor head and configured to engage a manipulating structure of a receptacle for pulling a receptacle into the distributor head or pushing a receptacle out of the distributor head; and
a distributor elevation system configured to effect powered vertical motion of the distributor head, the distributor elevation system being supported on the turntable and rotatable therewith; and
a receptacle handoff device configured to transfer a receptacle from a first receptacle distributor located outside the receptacle distribution system to the rotary distributor, the receptacle handoff device comprising:
a receptacle yoke configured to receive and hold a receptacle placed in the receptacle yoke with the first receptacle distributor;
a handoff device motor configured to rotate the receptacle yoke between a first position to receive the receptacle from the first receptacle distributor and a second position to present the manipulating structure of the receptacle to the rotary distributor to enable the hook of the rotary distributor to engage the manipulating structure to pull the receptacle from the receptacle yoke and into the distributor head.